Analyzing Cause and Effect in Holes by Louis Sachar

Activity Overview

An important part of any story are the cause and effect relationships that drive the plot. Students can enhance prediction and problem-solving, by demonstrating their understanding of chain reactions in the novel. Creating a storyboard that shows the cause and effect in events will increase their understanding of these relationships.

For this activity, create a storyboard template with the "causes" of events already filled in, and ask students to depict the "effect". Alternatively, have students complete both cause and effect for a given event or series of events. When you click "Use This Assignment", both the example above and a blank template will copy into your account for you to customize as desired!

Example Events:

Stanley is hit by a pair of shoes
Stanley is arrested
Stanley finds Kissing Kate’s lipstick container
Stanley and Zero climb the mountain
Stanley and Zero eat the onions

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Template and Class Instructions

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Student Instructions

Create a storyboard that shows cause and effect relationships in Holes. Each cause and effect pair will be shown in the same row.

On the left side of the T-Chart, illustrate events that show cause (why).
On the right side of the T-Chart, illustrate events that show effect of each cause (direct results).
Write a description below each cause.
In the description under each effect, show how the cause and effect are related.

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Lesson Plan Reference

Grade Level 4-5

Difficulty Level 3 (Developing to Mastery)

Type of Assignment Individual or Partner

Type of Activity: Cause and Effect within Plot

Common Core Standards

[ELA-Literacy/RL/4/2] Determine a theme of a story, drama, or poem from details in the text; summarize the text.
[ELA-Literacy/RI/4/8] Explain how an author uses reasons and evidence to support particular points in a text.
[ELA-Literacy/SL/5/4] Report on a topic or text or present an opinion, sequencing ideas logically and using appropriate facts and relevant, descriptive details to support main ideas or themes; speak clearly at an understandable pace.

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Rubric

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Cause and Effect T-Chart

Create a T-Chart storyboard that shows cause and effect relationships in the story. Each cause and effect pair will be shown in the same row.

	Proficient	Emerging	Beginning
Cause	All events on the left side of the T-Chart are correctly identified as causes. These events are why something else happened.	Most events on the left side of the T-Chart are correctly identified as causes or why something else happened.	Few or no events on the left side of the T-Chart are correctly identified as causes or why something else happened.
Effect	All events on the right side of the T-Chart are correctly identified as effects. These events are direct results of something else.	Most events on the right side of the T-Chart are correctly identified as effects or direct results of something else.	Few or no events on the right side of the T-Chart are correctly identified as effects or direct results of something else.
Images	Images clearly show the events in the story that have been identified as causes and effects.	Images show events from the story, but not all images match the cause and effect events.	Images do not represent the story or are missing.
Cause and Effect Relationship	All rows correctly show cause events in the story having a direct effect on the effect events.	Most rows correctly show cause events in the story having a direct effect on the effect events.	Few or no rows correctly show cause events in the story having a direct effect on the effect events.

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How To Teach Cause and Effect in an Elementary Classroom

Use Physical Examples in the Classroom

Students can understand cause and effect most easily if you demonstrate in the classroom. If you put a book on the very edge of a desk, for instance, it could fall over. Once students understand these physical examples, it will be easier for them to understand more abstract examples.

Explain the Terms

Students will need time, explanations, and scaffolding as you explain the terms cause and effect and help them make predictions. Use the book Holes, as there are many moments that lead to other moments, and they can practice making predictions about what happens next.

Use a T-Chart

A T-chart is a great way to visually represent cause and effect in a story. The cause goes on left, the effect on the right. Students can also explain the relation between the two.

Frequently Asked Questions about Cause and Effect in Holes

Why is cause and effect important in a story?

Characters do not do things in a vacuum. Each action in a story causes an effect, and this continues on throughout the story. The causes and effects build on each other as the story progresses.

What is the relationship between predictions and cause and effect?

When students are careful readers, they can anticipate what kind of effect a cause might lead to, and they will be able to make a prediction in their reading. Students who make predictions are more careful readers.

What is a chain reaction?

A chain reaction in literature has to do with cause and effect. One thing happens, and then another thing happens as a result, and then another. Because of one event, so many others unfold.